Villa warmed up with a tricky 3-1 win over Palace tonight that puts them in the FA Cup quarters against Reading. Gabby hit a record 14th goal. His best scoring season. he has many many flaws but not bad going for a home grown player. Carew won and bashed in a couple of late penos but MON will go with Heskey in going 442. MON played a stronger than expected side tonight which is a worry. A home Cup tie v Palace is reserve time run out if you ask me so hopefully burn out wont affect us later on in the season again.
Villa have many selection issues for the big show piece. In goal, Guzan has played in all the rounds but was shocking home and away against Blackburn. Guzan played tonight which leads me to expect Friedel will play on Sunday. Its the correct call imo.
Right back - Luke Young played tonight and I’d have him there on Sunday. One of the best right backs in the EPL but MON will probably plump for the stronger Carlos Cuellar. Cuellar indeed played centre half tonight with Dunne but I’d be surprised if the Collins Dunne axis was broken up Sunday. Warnock will be left back. Young and Downing on the wings. Petrov rested tonight and Milner will man the centre. I’d chance Carew up front after the two tonight but MON will unfortunately keep faith with Heskey and Gabby will start also.
For United, I get the feeling the wont play as strong a side as they did v City. Giggs, Nani, Ferdinand are all out anyway. Vidic played v West Ham but with his injury problems will Fergie play him? I hope not. I think the AC Milan tie will take precedence. I certainly hope so. From an Irish perspective I hope Darron Gibson plays. I think he will ahead of Carrick. With the AC Milan tie in the background I think Villa will win their first cup since the glorious day v Leeds when Savo, Yorke and Taylor took Sgt Bilko’s men apart. I’ll go for an emphatic 3-1 with John Carew coming off the bench to lead Villa to glory.
You seem to be placing a lot of emphasis on the AC Milan match considering it’s not on for 10 days after the final. With that in mind I would imagine that Vidic will play, he needs games.
United will win this I feel. Fergie wont want to have beaten City for nothing. I expect a strong a team as he can pick on Sunday. United should have beaten Villa the other week with 10 men. If Valencia and Rooney run riot it could be 3 or 4 nil.
Ill go for
Van Der Sar
Brown
Evans
Vidic
Evra
Valencia
Scholes
Fletcher
Gibson
Park
Rooney
The bench will have plenty in reserve with the likes of Owen, Berbatov, Carrick and the Neviller ready to show what he is all about. B)
Very enjoyable game thus far. Helped by woeful refereeing and an awful pitch surface the game is very fractured and open. Think we have played some great stuff at times but both defences are in trouble. The surface is a curious mixture of bobbly and skiddy. Both defences are nervy as a result. We had a major stroke of luck there at the end. Park who has been the best player on the pitch hit the post and the ball rebounded kindly to safety. Heskey hasnt offered much, Gabby was frightening Vidic early on which should have seen the end of the Serb’s day after 3 mins.
Park dropping into the centre has caused problems. We have been overloaded centrally as a result as Milner has often been ahead of the ball. Milner in fairness has been very good. Ashley Young has been dangerous too. Stephen Warnock is struggling against Valencia though. Still feel its there for us. Rooney on gives them further options but Owen had been decent enough in fairness. I think we have got to get Ashley Young on the ball as much as possible. He has drawn a yellow from Evra already and Rafael isnt able for him. Evans is an accident waiting to happen while Gabby already exposed Vidic. Definitely more goals there for us especially if Carew comes in.
Carrick breaking forward well from midfield now. Berbatov causing a lot of problems. I’m not concerned about United dominating possession but I’m a bit sick of playing with 10 players. Emile heskey may aswell be sitting in the stand for all the impact he is having.
defending very deep here. Need to push up. rooney has been pretty shit since coming on thankfully. heskey needs to be taken off. Ashley young still our key man. Evra wont get tight on him now. gary neville looks like he is coming on which is good news.
rooney against the run of play. Friedel stuck to the ground a bit for me. petrov with a hopeless effort of a tackle in the meantime. Carew has to come on.
We need changes and quick. Petrov’s legs are gone. delph surely. Luke Young for Cuellar should surely be considered too. Fergie def wouldnt procrastinate as much as MON.
he has many many flaws but not bad going for a home grown player. Carew won and bashed in a couple of late penos but MON will go with Heskey in going 442. MON played a stronger than expected side tonight which is a worry. A home Cup tie v Palace is reserve time run out if you ask me so hopefully burn out wont affect us later on in the season again.